In general, a foldable electronic apparatus has first and second casings and a bearing portion by which the first and second casings are freely turnably connected to each other. (pivotally mounted). Normally, it is general to this type of electronic apparatuses that when the first and second casings are opened or closed, these casings are manually opened or closed.
Furthermore, there has been recently developed such a foldable electronic apparatus that a spring is mounted in a bearing portion and first and second casings are automatically opened by operating an operating button.
With respect to this type of electronic apparatus which have been hitherto used, when the operating button is operated to open the first and second casings, the first and second casings are fully opened by a predetermined maximum opening angle and they are not stopped at some midpoint between the fully close state and the fully open state.
For example, in the case of cellular phones, the first and second casings are frequently used while being opened so as to be arranged substantially in alignment with each other under a normal use state. Therefore, even foldable electronic apparatuses as described above are frequently designed so that the first and second casings are opened as described above.
However, according to the above construction, when an electronic apparatus is used by operating a keyboard, etc. while viewing a display provided on a second casing (upper casing) of the electronic apparatus in a case that a first casing (lower casing) of the electronic apparatus is placed on a desk, the display is disposed so as to face vertically with respect to the surface of the desk (i.e., to the ceiling), and also the keyboard, etc. are easily swung, therefore, it is hard to use the electronic apparatus.
The present invention has been implemented in view of the foregoing situation, and has an object to provide an electronic apparatus which can be automatically opened till a predetermined opening angle when an operating button is operated and subsequently manually opened with respect to any angle larger than the predetermined opening angle, in other worlds, which is excellent in operationality not only when used (for calling) while gripped by a hand, but also when used while put on a desk.